Chapter 212: The Deal with Xiao Wu, Part 2 - Tang San's Hypocrisy
Dai Yao smiled slightly at the furious expression on Xiao Wu's face.
"Xiao Wu, if you had actually agreed to my demand, I'd lose respect for you."
If Xiao Wu truly loved Tang San, she would know how much the Tang Sect's hidden weapons meant to him. These weapons, practically his lifeblood, were far more valuable than the outcome of a single match.
Dai Yao couldn't deny that the love between Tang San and Xiao Wu was strong and unwavering, but he also understood Tang San's character. Beneath his self-proclaimed righteousness lay a hypocrisy and double standard.
For instance, in Slaughter City, Tang San had deemed it an evil place and destroyed it with the Swan Kiss poison, yet happily kept the Killing God Domain it granted. He claimed he'd never stoop to ambushing, but then used underhanded methods to kill Ghost Douluo and neutralize the fusion technique threat of Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo. He would promise Xiao Wu to only kill "evil" spirit beasts, then go and slaughter nearly all five-thousand-year beasts in Sunset Forest for power.
And such instances were numerous.
In the sequel series, these tendencies only grew worse. No matter the situation, Tang San justified his ruthless actions and, if he couldn't justify them, claimed they were all for Xiao Wu or some "grand mission."
That was why Dai Yao was sure the hidden presence nearby was indeed Tang San himself, waiting for Xiao Wu's update.
As Xiao Wu turned to storm away in frustration, Dai Yao stopped her.
"Wait a moment."
"What are you doing? I'm not agreeing to your terms!" Xiao Wu glared at him.
Dai Yao raised a hand. "If you don't agree, I won't force you. But let's make a bet."
Inwardly, Dai Yao felt a hint of irony. He'd never thought much of using bets to settle matters, but here he was on the Douluo Continent, following the local customs. After all, Tang San in the original storyline had resolved countless problems with wagers.
"What kind of bet?" Xiao Wu asked, curious.
"I just noticed someone hiding in the shadows, spying on us. I bet that person is Tang San."
"No way! I snuck out to meet you. There's no way that person is my brother!" Xiao Wu snapped, pointing accusingly at him.
"Calm down." Dai Yao motioned for her to relax. "No need to get upset until you hear me out. If you win, I'll agree to a one-on-one with Tang San. But if I win, you'll get me the blueprints for his hidden weapons."
Meeting his intense, almost greedy gaze, Xiao Wu felt uneasy. She took a deep breath.
"That's an unfair wager. If I win, all I get is the match. If I lose, I'm expected to hand over Tang San's blueprints. That's too one-sided!"
"What, don't you trust Tang San's character?" Dai Yao taunted.
"You...!" Xiao Wu stammered, silenced by his jab. She'd tried goading Dai Yao into agreeing to the match just moments earlier, and now he was using the same tactic on her.
After a moment of thought, she calmed down. "Your bet is still too unfair. Besides, how do you even plan to prove this person hiding here is my brother? Are you going to force him out?"
"No, not at all," Dai Yao replied, shaking his head. Forcing Tang San to reveal himself wouldn't prove his hypocrisy or plant any doubt in Xiao Wu's heart.
"I won't force him out. My bet is this: if you go back to your team now, before you reach the Shrek resting area, Tang San will intercept you."
"He's just worried about me, so coming to find me wouldn't prove he was hiding here now, would it? This bet is ridiculous." Xiao Wu immediately pointed out the flaw in his logic.
"True, which is why I have an added condition. After Tang San meets you, you should tell him that I agreed to the one-on-one duel with him."
"If that happens, Tang San's first reaction will likely be anger—he'll scold you first and then follow up by expressing concern for you."
If the person hiding nearby was indeed Tang San, then based on his hypocritical personality, he'd be infuriated to hear Xiao Wu had met Dai Yao alone and negotiated a one-on-one duel. He'd likely mask his knowledge of her actions with feigned anger and concern, subtly manipulating her emotions and deepening her dependence on him.
This tug-of-war would draw Xiao Wu further under his control, making her feel both scolded and comforted—a classic way Tang San exerted influence over her.
"So, what do you say? If even a single part of this prediction fails, then you win. With such strict conditions, I'd say the wager is fair now, wouldn't you?" Dai Yao's slight smile looked almost sinister to Xiao Wu.
For him, this bet was a low-risk strategy. He knew the bond between Tang San and Xiao Wu was unbreakable, and a simple bet would never shatter it. But sowing even a tiny seed of doubt could yield unexpected rewards in the future.
If he won, not only would Xiao Wu question Tang San, but he'd also get his hands on the blueprints for deadly Tang Sect weapons like the Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus and the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle. Even if she reneged, he'd have tried his hand at planting a seed that could eventually bear fruit.
And if he lost? No big deal. He was willing to face Tang San in a one-on-one anyway.
After carefully considering, Xiao Wu responded with confidence. "Fine, I accept!" She believed in her brother, and she was certain Dai Yao's scheme couldn't be so accurate. All she needed was for one part of the prediction to fail, and she'd win the wager.
"Great, I'll leave first. Let me know how it turns out." Dai Yao dissolved the soundproof barrier, giving Xiao Wu a sly smile before turning and vanishing like a flash of moonlight toward the arena.
Watching him leave, Xiao Wu felt a surge of triumph. "Hmph! Try as you might, Dai Yao, you'll end up drinking my bathwater! With so many specific conditions, there's no way you can win. Brother, you don't need to worry about tomorrow's match—Dai Yao's definitely going to agree to the duel!"
Humming to herself, Xiao Wu made her way back through the forest. The closer she got to the arena, the happier she felt.
"Almost back! If Brother still doesn't show up, then I'll win the bet for sure. Dai Yao, you better not try to weasel out of it then!"
But just then, a familiar voice startled her from behind.
"Xiao Wu, where did you go?"
Heart skipping a beat, Xiao Wu turned to see her beloved brother standing there. The realization hit her like a shockwave—her Third Brother was here.
Flustered, she avoided meeting Tang San's eyes. "Brother, w-what are you doing here?"
Tang San's usual smile softened his face. "You were gone a while, so I thought I'd come look for you."
Relief flooded Xiao Wu's tense heart. Her brother was only worried about her—this was just coincidence, she reasoned. But what terrible luck that Dai Yao's ridiculous prediction turned out to be true.
As annoyed as she was by Dai Yao's lucky guess, she still had two more conditions to fall back on.
Thinking about the wager, she nervously fiddled with her fingers, looking away as she mumbled, "Brother, I...I went to see Dai Yao."
Tang San frowned, "Why did you go to him?"
"I… I saw how stressed you were about tomorrow's match and how unsure you were about getting Dai Yao to agree to a one-on-one. So I thought I'd help by asking him myself," she said, watching Tang San's face closely, hoping to catch his reaction.
Upon hearing that Dai Yao had agreed, Tang San was secretly delighted, but he hid it, instead snapping angrily, "Xiao Wu, why would you meet with Dai Yao alone? Why didn't you talk to me about it first?"
His sudden anger sent a chill through Xiao Wu. She hadn't expected him to react this way. Then, after a moment, Tang San's expression softened, and he looked at her with concern.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous Dai Yao is? If I'd known you were meeting him alone, I would've been so worried. You saw how brutal he was in our last match. If anything happened to you, I couldn't go on."
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her as if he'd nearly lost a precious treasure, his body trembling slightly with fear. But instead of feeling comforted, Xiao Wu felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over her.
Tang San's reaction was exactly as Dai Yao had predicted in their bet. Why? Why did everything play out precisely as Dai Yao had said it would?
Winning or losing the bet suddenly felt trivial compared to the unsettling realization gnawing at her heart. Why was her brother acting exactly as Dai Yao had described?
Feeling Xiao Wu tense in his embrace, Tang San released her, noticing her troubled expression. His heart skipped a beat as he asked with concern, "Xiao Wu, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"
Forcing a smile, Xiao Wu replied, "No, Brother, I'm just not feeling well. I think I should go back and rest."
After years by her side, Tang San knew when she wasn't being entirely honest. But seeing her pained expression, he didn't press further. He decided he'd ask her later, once she had some time to herself.
"Alright," Tang San said, supporting her as they walked back. "Let me take you to the audience area to rest. And thank you, by the way, for helping me with this."
Looking at his familiar face, Xiao Wu felt overwhelmed by a whirl of thoughts she couldn't untangle, managing only a quiet "Mm."
In the Oakland Rest Area
"Hey, you're back!" Dai Yuan Yi said with a grin as Dai Yao returned.
Dai Yao simply nodded and scanned the Shrek resting area, noticing that both Tang San and Xiao Wu were absent. He smirked and turned to Feng Wutong beside him.
"Wutong, did you happen to see when Tang San left?" he asked.
Feng Wutong thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I didn't notice exactly."
Dai Yao's smile faded a little. Not knowing when Tang San had left made it hard to confirm whether he'd been the one spying. Still, he didn't mind too much. The bet with Xiao Wu was only a minor scheme, and whether or not it succeeded didn't bother him. If he couldn't shake Tang San's hold on Xiao Wu yet, it didn't matter; he was already strong enough to face whatever threat Tang San posed.
Just then, a familiar figure in green caught his eye.
"Oh? Seems like you're pretty curious about Tang San." Dugu Yan's playful voice chimed in. She licked her lips, a mischievous smile on her face as she teased, "Actually, I know exactly when he left. But if you want me to tell you, you'll have to call me 'Big Sister.'"
Dai Yao had never revealed his true age, leading Dugu Yan to believe they were closer in age. But after their recent trip to the Star Dou Forest, she'd realized she was several years older than him—a fact that weighed on her.
Girls can be sensitive about their age, after all.
Noticing everyone watching with amused smiles, Dai Yao pulled Dugu Yan aside, away from the noise of the match. He leaned close, whispering in her ear, "Big Sister…"
The warmth of his breath against her neck left a faint blush on her cheeks, even spreading to the tips of her ears. Despite trying to present herself as a mature "big sister" in front of him, Dugu Yan's tough demeanor melted away under his closeness, revealing a more bashful side.
"She's all talk but so easily flustered," Dai Yao thought with a smirk.
"Now, about Tang San's exit?" he prompted her.
Dugu Yan regained her composure, glancing toward Shrek's section before explaining, "As a control-type spirit master, I stay keenly aware of everything happening in the arena. I can't track every single movement, but I pay close attention to certain people."
"Like Tang San. I noticed him leaving just a few minutes after you left."
Dai Yao's eyes lit up. Tang San's exit aligned precisely with the time the hidden observer had appeared. So Tang San had likely been the spy after all! Now, even if the bet didn't yield results, it could still plant a seed of suspicion in Xiao Wu's mind, waiting to take root in the future.
"Thanks, Yan Yan," he said, wrapping her in a quick hug, his excitement getting the best of him.
Not long after, he approached Feng Qianli, saying, "Captain, I'm ready to enter the match tomorrow."
Feng Qianli thought for a moment before nodding. "Tomorrow? We're up against Shrek, aren't we? You want a rematch with Tang San?"
"Yes, and I want it to be a decisive, one-on-one duel," Dai Yao said, his calm tone unable to mask his determination.
"I was waiting for you to say that," Feng Qianli replied, clapping Dai Yao on the shoulder. "We all knew you'd want another shot at Tang San. A warrior like you wouldn't pass up the chance to face a rival of his caliber."
Dai Yuan Yi, Luo Feng, and the others gathered around, grinning in support of Dai Yao.
"Thank you all," Dai Yao said, moved by their loyalty.
"There's no need to thank us," Dou Yu replied, his expression earnest. "I wouldn't be here, competing in this tournament, if not for you. Whatever you decide, we'll back you all the way!"
Just then, Dai Yao turned his head toward Shrek's section, spotting Xiao Wu's distant, dazed expression as she stood near Tang San.
Could it be? Had the wager succeeded?
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